COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES
PURSUE THE NEXT YOU.
Villanova’s College of Professional Studies (CPS) provides an academically rigorous education to high achieving adults who are balancing educational and professional aspirations with life’s commitments.
Firmly believing that life experience is the kindling to the brightest futures, we offer learners of all ages an academically challenging and collegiate educational experience that is transformative.
Through a variety of education pathways, CPS enables students to enrich their lives, enhance their value in the workplace and pursue new careers.
Make today the day to change course, pivot to an alternate adventure, become who you've always said you'd become.
EXPLORE CPS PROGRAMS
THE CPS DIFFERENCE
FACULTY
Alexis Coulter, PhD joined Villanova's College of Professional Studies as Assistant Professor of the Practice in the Fall semester of 2023. She brings a wide array of experience, in both higher education and the non-profit sector, with particular expertise in organizational development and behavior. Coulter sees an opportunity to connect with the student population in CPS, having herself been a first-generation college student and understanding the value that experience can bring to an entire family. MORE...
Therese DeVries Narzikul, MBA, MSN, CRNP joined Villanova's College of Professional Studies (CPS) as Professor of the Practice, adding to the growing group of full-time faculty within CPS. Narzikul brings a passion for education and teaching that was forged early in her career, which started not in the classroom, but in hospitals. She began her career as a nurse, but as her career continued, Narzikul began to notice changes in the healthcare industry and sought to better understand her field, leading her to Villanova and the executive MBA program. Within that program, she took an interest in systems thinking and leadership strategy. With her rich history in both healthcare and higher education, Therese is poised to make an impact at CPS. MORE...
For Marv Meissner, becoming an expert in Lean Six Sigma and process improvement flowed naturally from his career in engineering and business. It eventually led to his current position as a professor at Villanova University, a recognized leader in Lean Six Sigma education and certification, most notably the online Lean Six Sigma program. Meissner said he started working with the methodology in the 1980s, when the predecessor to Six Sigma methodology was known as Total Quality Management.“I became involved with quality and continuous process improvement relatively early in my career and developed a lifelong passion for it,” Meissner said. MORE...
Since joining the College of Professional Studies in 2015, Professor Agustiady has shared her knowledge and expertise with thousands of professionals in a wide range of industries. She has seen her students use Lean Six Sigma to drive significant business impact—from major manufacturing corporations and financial-service firms to the US government and nationally recognized health care facilities.“The applications are endless,” says Professor Agustiady. “It starts with knowledge transfer and building a leadership culture that empowers and encourages people to identify areas for improvement. Then you can implement the methodologies and tools to put systems in place that can transform the way you do business.” MORE...
Michael Palladino has established a global reputation over the last three decades as a thought leader in Agile methodology and an authority on project management. An adjunct professor with Villanova’s College of Professional Studies and sought-after keynote speaker who has presented for audiences in more than three dozen countries, Professor Palladino has taught thousands of business leaders and decision-makers strategies to strengthen teamwork, increase production and optimize efficiency in projects.“Agile principles enable high-performing teams to accelerate decision-making and increase transparency, accountability and engagement while improving employee retention,” he explains. “It boils down to breaking work into smaller pieces, bringing teams together to function better and eliminating wasteful steps that don’t add value.” MORE...
Faculty in Villanova University's College of Professional Studies are as varied as our student population. Comprised of three full-time faculty and over 150 adjunct faculty of industry practitioners, these experts bring years of real-world experience to the classroom.They develop programs, majors and courses that align with the needs of our adult learners, infused with and grounded by the Villanova values of Veritas, Unitas, Caritas - Truth, Unity and Love. MORE...
NEWS
The Top 5 Skills Project Managers Need Now
Project management often looks straightforward from the outside: timelines, meetings and deliverables moving from start to finish. In practice, the work asks much more of the people leading it, especially when priorities shift, teams need alignment and the path forward becomes less clear. Building the right skills early can help project managers lead with greater clarity, adaptability and strategic judgment across the work that matters most.
April 07, 2026
New to Contract Management? Start Here First.
Contract management often becomes part of someone’s role before it becomes their title. For professionals who are new to the field or beginning to take on more contract-related responsibilities, building the right foundational skills early can make a meaningful difference. Developing those skills can help strengthen judgment, reduce risk and support more strategic contributions across teams and organizations.
April 01, 2026
When Everyday AI Use Creates Risk: What Nontechnical Teams Need To Know
AI is becoming part of everyday work across marketing, operations, administration and communications, often in ways that feel routine and low risk. But when people use AI tools without fully understanding how those systems handle instructions and sensitive information, small moments of convenience can create larger organizational vulnerabilities. For nontechnical teams, responsible AI use starts with recognizing how prompt injection and data leakage can show up in ordinary workflows and why stronger judgment matters.
March 31, 2026
Student Spotlight: Adam Richardson ’27 Provides Inspiration to His Sons, Through Education, Determination, and Selflessness
Adam Richardson ’27 CPS made a promise to himself when he became a father. “I will never ask my kids to do something I haven’t done, or wouldn’t do,” he explained. “And that includes completing my college degree.” After dropping out of college three times in his late teens and early twenties, now, at age 35, Richardson is determined to earn his bachelor’s degree in Organizational Development & Management.
January 29, 2026